Please note that the graveyard closes at sunset but is generally open during daylight hours.
Welcome to "The Mither Kirk" or to translate from Scots, the "Mother Church" of the city - officially named for the city's patron saint as "The Kirk of St Nicholas." There has been a church on this site for well over 800 years as the earliest mention of a church on the site of the present Kirk can be found in a Papal document of 1151. The earliest surviving part of the kirk - an apse - was uncovered during an archaeological dig in 2006 and has been dated to approximately 1100.
Unusually for the time, the church was built on the edge of the existing town almost outside its gates – the Castlegate, Gallowgate and Upper Kirkgate – which ran down towards the harbour area. Over the centuries as Aberdeen grew as a hub for trade and industry, the original building grew with it as the city grew around it and the Church you see in front of you today was once three separate places of worship - The West Kirk (1755 by James Gibbs), The East Kirk (1837 by Archibald Simpson) and the 15th Century St Mary's Chapel. The congregation dissolved in recent years, but the building will still be used for occasional worship, civic occasions, special events and by outside groups. You can learn about the fascinating history of the Mither Kirk on the OpenSpace Trust's web page.
If your visit chances to coincide with the church buildings being open, I thoroughly recommend a visit inside. The West Kirk contains embroidered wall hangings from the 17th century and the Oil Chapel which features a stunning stain glass window which contrasts the city's traditional and modern industries. The kirk's bell tower contains a carillon of 48 bells - one of the largest in the country - and you can wander around the inside of the church using Google Street View! The East Kirk is closed to the public but has been under extensive archaeological excavations in preparation for building work. St Mary's Chapel has recently undergone a transformation to be available as a public space and if open, you can see 17th century carved wooden panels, the original vaulted ceilings with carved corbels and a reminder of one of Aberdeen's darker times in history - the Witches' Ring - which harks back to the times when the chapel and the original bell tower were used as prisons to contain the "witches" during the city's persecutions of 1596/97.
You can read more about the Aberdeen Witch Trials at the Aberdeen City Archives web page
You don't need to go in to any of the buildings to complete this Virtual Cache, however, and there is much to see outside.
Head to Waypoint/Virtual Stage1
Lady Elizabeth Crombie Duthie of Ruthrieston was born in 1818 to Alexander Duthie. Her father was a member of the wealthy family of merchants, ship owners and ship builders. She inherited considerable sums from her uncle Walter and brother Alexander Duthie, who had both been in the legal profession. In their memory she was determined to do something to benefit the people of Aberdeen and in 1880 she purchased the 44 acre estate of Arthurseat by the banks of the River Dee for £30,000 and gave it to the City of Aberdeen to be developed into a park - Aberdeen's much loved Duthie Park.
The park was to be “available for all classes of citizens" and it was determined that the park "should have a broad expanse of grassy sward upon which the young might indulge in innocent frolic and play…” Many of the park's original features still remain and there are some nice Geocaches there to find too!
Elizabeth Duthie died on 30th March 1885 at the age of 67.
You'll find the answer to question 1 on Elizabeth's memorial.
Head around the west side of the kirk to Waypoint/Virtual Stage 2
To the north of the kirk lies the last resting place of Mary Robertson who died on the 8th January 1830 aged 40.
Mary was the mother of stage magician John Anderson "The Wizard Of The North." Following the death of his mother as a young lad, John tried his hand as a herdboy and blacksmithing before joining a travelling theatre at the age of 16. The encouragement of Lord Panmure (who he performed magic tricks for at Brechin Castle) led to a career as a stage magician at which he excelled. Not only was he an expert showman, but he quickly learned how to use publicity and advertising, resulting in tours of Europe, North America, Australisa and Russia. During his career he became famous for his successful performances of the "bullet catch" illusion - but he is perhaps better known as the first magician to pull a rabbit out of a hat. John died a few months before his 60th birthday in 1874 and was buried next to his mother. The grave fell into disrepair, but was visited in 1909 by Harry Houdini who was a great admirer of John Anderson's work. The visit was captured by the local press in the photograph to the right.
Now head to Waypoint/Virtual Stage 3. There is a slope for wheelchairs and buggies, but care should be taken in wet weather.
Here you will find the Gallus Quines and Deeds Not Words murals from the 2018 NuArt festival by Carrie Reichardt. The murals comment on Aberdeen's aforementioned witch purging and celebrate women, both past and present, who have contributed to female empowerment. "Gallus Quines" translates to "brave women" in Doric. Most of the witches names come from the city's Burgh Records which are so complete, they are recognised by UNESCO.
This is the only monument in Aberdeen to the innocent people killed during the witch craze.
To claim this virtual, you'll need to answer the following questions. Upload your photos with your log and either send me a message through the website or email me with your answers to claim.
1 - Can you tell me the Latin motto written on the scroll at the top of Elizabeth's memorial?
2 - The Mither of "The Wizard of the North" is buried at Waypoint 2. According to her epitaph, who wept for her?
3. What was Isobel Strachan's nickname and how was she described?
4. Add a photograph of yourself (or your gps) at one of the Waypoints or elsewhere in the graveyard.
We hope you enjoyed your visit to the Mither Kirk 
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.